End-gate fastener



(No Model.)

A. SCHLAPBAGH. V END'GATE PASTENER.

Patented Dec. 1'7, 1895.

INVENTOR Attorney ANDRYEW EGRAHAM. PHOTO-UTHQWASNINGTONDL UNITED TATESALBERT SOHLAPBAOH, or SOANDIA, KANSAS.

END-GATE FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters'riatent No. 551,653, dated December1'7, 1895.

Application filed March so, 1895.

Serial No. 543,876. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT SCHLAPBAOH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Scan dia, in the county of Republic and State of Kansas,have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in End-Gate Fastenersand I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l of the drawings is a rear view of the wagon-body, showing theapplication of the invention thereto, parts being locked. Fig. 2 is .asimilar view with parts unlocked. Fig. 3 is a plan view of same withparts in positions shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a detail perspective viewof one of the guide-plates D.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and effective devicefor securing the end-gates of wagons, and one which will also preventthe wagon body or box from spreadlng.

With this object in view the invention consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described andpointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates a wagonbody or box, and B the end-gate thereof, which works in verticalguideways or grooves O of said body or box. Extending through the rearportion of the body or box at each side and through cleats wthereof,which form one side of the said guideways or grooves, is a screw-bolt D,which is secured by a nut cl at its outer end, and which at its innerend is formed with a broad portion D, having an open reverse bend orhook d.

D are slotted guide-plates which hold the bolts in proper verticalposition.

E E are two draw-bars upon the rear face of the end-gate, which aresupported loosely in guides f of vertical cleats F. The inner endportions of these bars are pivotally connected at different points to alever G, from which they'extend in opposite directions. The outer endportion of each has a broad reverse bend or hook e,which engages looselywith the broad hook d of the adjacent screw-bolt D. The bar E issubstantially straight, while the bar E is oifset rearwardly at g, asindicated, the two being connected to opposite faces of the lever Gatdifferent vertical points. When the lever is in unlocking position, asindicated in Fig. 2, the bends e are freed from engagement with thebends cl and the board may be seated or unseated. When, however,saidlever is forced to the left and downward, the two draw-bars are drawntoward each other as the two pivots approach the same horizontal lineand slightly past center, and the bends e grasp the bends (1, drawingthe sides of the body or box together suficiently to prevent theend-gate being moved in its guideways. At its upper end the lever G hasa hook G, which is brought down over the bar E, as indicated in Fig. 1.Said hook has a finger projection h, by means of which the lever may bereadily pushed up to release the lock. Said hook G is bent in such shapethat the lever maybe forced downward slightlybelow the level of thedraw-bars, while at the same time it limits the extent of the movementin this direction. This hook also keeps the draw-bar E and the leverfrom spreading.

H is a pin or stud which projects from the end-gate and upon which thelink E takes a bearing.

It will be observed that the device not only looks the end-gate, butthat it also prevents the body or box from spreading.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The herein described means for fastening the end gates of wagons,consisting in the combination with the vehicle body having vertical waysor guides for the end gate, and the bolts D having their inner endsformed with broad reverse bends or hooks, of the end gate having thevertical cleats F secured to its rear face, the two draw bars E, E,which work loosely through guides of said cleats, and whose outer endportions are formed each with a broad hook adapted to engage the hook ofone of the bolts D, while their inner end portions overlap each other atthe central portion of the gate, the straight lever G to opposite facesof which the said bars E, E, are pivoted at dilferent points, and whichis formed at its opposite end portion with a hook or catch, said leverhaving no connection with the end gate, and the abutment H for the loweredge of one of said draw-bars, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

